Canon continues to champion photojournalists with its 35th-anniversary of partnering with Visa pour l’Image

This September Canon continues to champion photojournalism for the 35th consecutive year, through its continued partnership with Visa pour l’Image.

Visa pour l’Image is The International Festival for Photojournalism, an annual event that celebrates the work of photojournalists from all around the world. The annual event is organized on the initiative of the association 'Visa pour l’Image – Perpignan', and is held in the South Of France.

This year marks the 35th year that Canon has sponsored the event, and this year it will be awarding two project grants in addition to providing 25 emerging photographers access to the festival and tutelage through the brand's Student Development Program.

The first of the two grants will be awarded in collaboration with Visa pour l’Image, and grant €8,000 to a female photojournalist working on a long-term documentary project.

This year, the esteemed jury has decided to award Dutch photojournalist Cynthia Boll for her ongoing project: Reshaping Home: Indonesia’s Capital Migration.

Boll's project documents the impact of Indonesian authorities moving its capital from Jakarta to the city of Ibu Kota Nusantara, as the current capital continues to sink at a rapid rate. This is understandably a monumental endeavor resulting in far-reaching social and economic impacts across the country.

Canon states, "With the support from the grant, Cynthia hopes to document the routines and rituals of daily life in the new city from the perspective of these pioneering citizens".

The second of the two grants, the 5th Canon Video Grant, will be awarded by Canon alongside Visa pour l’Image to London-based filmmaker Alan Lau. His short film titled The Gordian Knot documents the fate of young cattle in Nepal and how it influences the surrounding society.

Grants like these awarded by Canon are so important in today's climate as they fund important work and provide more financial security for the photographer so that that work can continue.

In addition to making some of the best mirrorless cameras and Canon lenses on the market, Canon does an awful lot for the photography community as a whole, with various programs and charitable initiatives.

One such program is the Canon Student Development Programme which will be running for its 8th consecutive year at Visa pour l’Image, and is a program like none other – a dream for aspiring photojournalists!

Canon said, "Canon is committed to supporting and nurturing new talent, and for the 8th consecutive year will be providing emerging photographers from across Europe, Middle East and Africa with a unique opportunity to develop skills and advance in their careers as part of its acclaimed Student Development Programme. 25 talented photography students will attend a prestigious five-day workshop to network with and learn from prominent professionals during group as well as 1:1 portfolio review sessions, practical workshops and lectures".

In addition to guest speakers and workshops, Canons will also be showcasing some of its latest equipment, including the highly anticipated Canon EOS R1 and EOS R5 II , perhaps the best Canon cameras on the market.

Canon will also be providing a glimpse at its breathtaking exhibition World Unseen . World Unseen is a groundbreaking exhibition dedicated to the visually impaired, and with specialized printing and audio descriptions, it opens up photography to many more people. It also does a fantastic job at highlighting the challenges of the visually impaired and having seen the exhibition earlier this year it is a MUST!

Visa pour l’Image will take place from September 2 - 7 2024, and more details such as the festival schedule can be found on its website .

You may also be interested in our guide the best Canon lenses .